Book Review: Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly is a romance with intense feels and humor. Recently divorced and on the verge of bankruptcy, Dahlia Woodson is ready to reinvent herself on the popular reality competition show Chef’s Special. Too bad the first memorable move she makes is falling flat on her face, sending fish tacos flying—not quite the fresh start she was hoping for. Still, she's focused on winning, until she meets someone she might want a future with more than she needs the prize money.  After announcing their pronouns on national television, London Parker has enough on their mind without worrying about the klutzy competitor stationed in front of them. They’re there to prove the trolls—including a fellow contestant and their dad—wrong, and falling in love was never part of the plan. As London and Dahlia get closer, reality starts to fall away. Goodbye, guilt about divorce, anxiety about uncertain futures, and stress from transphobia. Hello, hilarious shenanigans on set, wedding crashing, and spontaneous dips into the Pacific. But as the finale draws near, Dahlia and London’s steamy relationship starts to feel the heat both in and outside the kitchen—and they must figure out if they have the right ingredients for a happily ever after.

Love & Other Disasters had my attention from the very first page. The characters and their personal challenges and emotions were complex and multifaceted even before the romance came into play. Dahlia is still reeling from divorce and trying to figure out what she wants from life. London is still trying to figure out how to handle, well everything, as they work to figure out who they are and what they want. Friendship and more develops, and I enjoyed going along for the ride. I like that they had open communication about consent and intimacy. I love that their connection was slow growing and built mostly on friendship, respect, and trust. I also like that they each had a support system, and the story did tackle the intolerance of some but focused more of the relationship and growth of the main characters rather than focusing on hardships from outside their connection. I really enjoyed the read and felt for London and Dahlia as they got in their own way more often than not. 

Love & Other Disasters is a funny and emotional romance. 

Book Review: Igor by Francesca Dafne Vignaga

Igor is a pictureboook written and illustrated by Francesca Dafne Vignaga. The only thing Igor knows about himself is his name. When he's not busy playing, he likes to watch what the animals do, but why has he never seen anyone else like himself? Maybe it is time to leave home and go on a journey of self-discovery.

Igor is a lovely picturebook. The illustrations are absolutely wonderful, and capture the reader's attention and imagination. The detail is wonderful and I liked the style. The story itself is simple. Igor wants to know if there are others like him out there so he goes on an adventure. It was fun seeing him try to blend in with a variety of creatures, which were clearly different from him., but being welcome to try with nothing but a little side eye from some around him. I liked the journey, and his success. However, I need to admit that I still have no idea what type of creature Igor might be. 

Book Review: Night Cry by Borja Gonzalez

Night Cry is a young adult graphic novel written and illustrated by Borja Gonzalez. When it comes to rituals, Teresa, who runs a bookstore specializing in magic and the occult, knows her fair share. But when she manages to summon Laura, an anime-loving demon, the ritual goes awry: Laura is there to grant her any wish, but Teresa doesn’t know what to ask for. And so the two are stuck with each other… Thus begins a strange cohabitation, while Laura decides to investigate a series of unexplained disappearances in town. Through the author’s captivating artwork and spirited dialogue, discover an offbeat and magical world close to our own, alternating between warmth and sweet melancholy.

Night Cry is a unique graphic novel. I liked the art style, I thought the use of color and the way the characters were drawn without facial features gave the book a very eerie vibe- and with the witch, ghost, and demon mentions that was on point. honestly the visuals were my favorite part of the story. There were little details and suggestions on every page that readers could interpret in many ways, coloring the storytelling. I liked the majority of the story, but have to admit that there were more than a few moments when I was really confused, and the story and my guesses about what was really going on and where the story might end up were disconnected. And, frankly the ending left me a bit baffled. I did enjoy the friendship development, and though I often hated the way Teresa treated Matilda, I thought some of it made sense for the personalities and twists that might have popped up in the story. 

Night Cry is an atmospheric and beautifully drawn graphic novel that is very much open to interpretation. 

Book Review: The Secrets of the Heart (School of Love) by BeKa, Maya

The Secrets of the Heart is the first volume in the School of Love graphic novel written by BeKa and illustrated by Maya. Linon and Garance are best friends with very different ideas about love. To get to the bottom of what all this romance stuff is really about, they decide to conduct an investigation into some of the older students at their middle school. Why are certain kids more popular than others? Why do some already have a “bad reputation” by the 8th grade? Why is everyone so obsessed with appearances? Along the way, the pair discover that, for best friends who are supposed to share everything, they’ve both been keeping some pretty big secrets of their own.

The Secrets of the Heart is a cute graphic novel for the middle grade and older set. Garance and Linon are trying to figure out love, not an easy task for adults never mind kids that are still figuring out who they are. In the process they learn more about themselves and each other, and they figure out that things are rarely as simple as they appear. People act a certain way for a variety f reasons like expectations and self protection, and sometimes because they are just afraid to be made fun of or rejected. I liked the way Linon and Garance figure things out together and grow their friendship as they find out more about others. I will be honest that I thought Linon was going to have another secret or feeling to share, but I think the book played out perfectly well without that additional twist. I loved the artwork, and think it capture the emotional tone of the story and the characters perfectly. I can see this story resonating with a wide audience and gaining a number of fans for the series as it continues. 

The Secrets of the Heart is a sweet graphic novel about friends and love. 

Book Review: Something Fabulous (Something Fabulous) by Alexis Hall

Something Fabulous is the first book in the Something Fabulous series by Alexis Hall.  Valentine Layton, the Duke of Malvern, has twin problems: literally. It was always his father’s hope that Valentine would marry Miss Arabella Tarleton. But, unfortunately, too many novels at an impressionable age have caused her to grow up…romantic. So romantic that a marriage of convenience will not do and after Valentine’s proposal she flees into the night determined never to set eyes on him again. Arabella’s twin brother, Mr. Bonaventure “Bonny” Tarleton, has also grown up…romantic. And fully expects Valentine to ride out after Arabella and prove to her that he’s not the cold-hearted cad he seems to be. Despite copious misgivings, Valentine finds himself on a pell-mell chase to Dover with Bonny by his side. Bonny is unreasonable, overdramatic, annoying, and beautiful? And being with him makes Valentine question everything he thought he knew. About himself. About love. Even about which Tarleton he should be pursuing.

Something Fabulous is a book that had some great moments, and some that just did not work for me. The story starts in mid proposal between Valentine and Arabella, and I felt like I might have missed some of the story leading up to that. Thankfully the information gaps were filled as the story continued, but it just felt a little disconnected at the start. I thought the complete obliviousness of Valentine was very well done, and led to some great moments of humor for readers, even as it often brought greater problems and frustration to the character. I loved Bonny's character, and found that the interactions Bonny had with just about every other character were highly entertaining and engaging. I have to say though that while I similarly loved most of the secondary characters  I did not enjoy Arabella's character in the slightest. In general I thought there were a great many high points, mostly when Bonny was on the page or Valentine was figuring things out, there were also some lulls that frustrated me or slowed down the pacing for me. I loved some of the character work and interaction so much that the issues I had diminished my love for the read a little, I do fully intend to continue reading the series because so much more when right than wrong.

Something Fabulous is a historical romance with some great moments.

Book Review: The Dating Dilemma (Mile High Firefighters) by Mariah Ankenman

The Dating Dilemma is the third book in the Mile High Firefighters series by Mariah Ankenman. You do not need to read the books as a series to enjoy them, but returning readers will enjoy seeing favorites make an appearance and understand the references to relationship woes in the previous books. 

Lexi’s Reminders:  Work, Don’t think about your birthday tomorrow. Or debt, your crappy apartment, and nonexistent social life. Re-stock wine and ice cream because that’s coming. Die in a raging blaze of humiliation when the super-hot and very delicious fireman waiting in your office is not in fact the strip-o-gram birthday present you suspected. Reschedule the fire safety inspection you 100 percent failed because of said humiliation. Figure out how you, in fact, agreed to fake dating Mr. Not a Strip-O-Gram Fireman to help him with a bet. Oh yeah, and do not fall for this guy. Seriously, they call him One Night O’Neil. Red flags all over the place.  Remember, this is fake dating, even though his very talented, very real lips are doing some sexy things you definitely like. Realize bending one tiny rule can’t be that bad, can it? Except bend too far, and something breaks. Something you can’t get back.

The Dating Dilemma is a contemporary romantic comedy that had me dealing with sympathetic embarrassment on several occasions. I liked that Dyson and Lexi are both not looking for romance, and feel some intense sparks right away. I got a huge kick out of the fact that they both knew going into the fake dating scheme that it rarely works out as intended- and since they were already deep into lust their story would most likely take the rom com track. I will say that Lexi's thing about speaking her thoughts out loud lent itself to several moments of second hand embarrassment, there were also moments when I really was not sure what exactly she had sad- because of how much she had going on in her head at any given moment. I loved the secondary characters, and think that they added a special layer of interest for me. The new characters  were just as interesting and complex as the main characters and the other secondary characters that I remembered from the first book (I somehow missed the second). I enjoyed the read and will be keeping an eye out for more. 

The Dating Dilemma is a fun romance with self aware characters and some serious second hand embarrassment. 

Early Book Review: Housecat Trouble by Mason Dickerson

Housecat Trouble by Mason Dickerson is a children's graphic novel currently scheduled for release on February 22 2022. Buster has only one job: keep the house safe. Too bad he is a massive scaredy-cat. When his owner goes away and he suddenly finds his home filled with monsters, Buster has the biggest challenge he’s ever faced. Can he learn to be brave before his owner gets back? 

Housecat Trouble is a cute graphic novel. I liked the artwork and found t to be fun and bold. I think it will capture and keep the attention of middle grade readers. I will admit that from the cover and description I thought this would be for a younger audience, but is definitely for the middle grade crowd. Buster makes friends, faces his fears, and has an adventure. I like that the friends grow and learn too, the character growth is not limited to Buster. There are evil spirits, questish moments, sweet moments, and some silliness. It is an interesting and entertaining read. I liked that a page on drawing your own cat was included at the end of the book, that might further engage interested readers. 

Book Review: Nutella: 60 Classic Recipes: From Simple, Family Treats to Delicious Cakes & Desserts: Official Cookbook by Grégory Cohen

Nutella: 60 Classic Recipes: From Simple, Family Treats to Delicious Cakes & Desserts: Official Cookbook by Grégory Cohen is the Official Nutella® Cookbook.  The  hazelnut cocoa spread that is a staple of the breakfasts and snacks for some is taken to a new level here by Chef Grégory Cohen in 60 recipes. Discover a delicious array of cakes, pastries and desserts made with the classic store cupboard ingredient. Bakes include Nutella® mixed berry muffins, babka and orange cake, alongside delights such as Tarte Tatin, vanilla & praline éclairs and Yule log. With techniques and recipes to suit every level of expertise, this book will appeal to everyone with a shared love of the World-famous spread.

Nutella: 60 Classic Recipes gives readers exactly what the title promises. The recipes vary from things that I would be perfectly comfortable whipping up this weekend, some that I might pull out for my annual holiday treat trays, some I might pull out for special occasions, and some that I find a little to fussy and fancy for my kitchen. All that washes out to, there is something here for every fan of this ingredient. I found the instructions and information to be well organized and written, with photographs that were a great match. I like that imperial and metric measurement where included, so bakers of either preference can jump in without doing additional calculations. I do think that the recipes are geared a bit towards more experienced bakers, as some of the recipes could be challenging and more than a little intimidating to real beginners. However, I think some of these recipes might be doable for more novice bakers, but as someone that has spent a good amount of time baking some of these recipes are well beyond my comfort zone. 

Book Review: The Immortal (Rise of the Warlords) by Gena Showalter

The Immortal is the second book in the Rise of the Warlords series by Gena Showalter. I do recommend reading the series in order for an understanding of the world and larger story line. 

Halo Phaninon, assassin of gods, is as cold and merciless as a machine. For victory, he crosses any line. When tasked to kill twelve of mythology’s fiercest monsters in twenty-four hours, Halo eagerly accepts. Except, each morning he awakens to the same day, forced to relive new horrors. Only one other person retains their memory—the beauty who threatens his iron control. Ophelia the Flunk Out hates her disaster of a life. She’s the family disappointment, a harpy warrior without a kill and powerless—or is she? Nearly every night she’s doomed to repeat her own murder, but each morning she arises to spar with Halo, the ruthless warlord increasingly determined to save her and lure her to his bed. Halo’s insatiable desire for the stubborn Ophelia drives him wild, and he only craves more. If he remains in the time loop, they stay together. But if he escapes, they lose each other forever.

The Immortal started off good for me. I liked the introduction of Halo and Ophelia and the general set up of this story. I thought the individual issues that each of them have coming into the story were well handled and explored through the story. Similarly, the character and relationship development and growth was done well. I liked the creativity in using a time loop and Hercules's tasks, and the banter and several other aspects of the book really worked for me. However, I have to admit that there were several moments that I just got a little restless and eager to see things move forward quicker. Part of this is on me- like many others in these interesting times- I sometimes have trouble focusing on my reading. Was my trouble focusing on this read and staying engaged a pacing issue, a me issue, or as I suspect a combination of the two. It definitely might hit other readers differently, but for me it just did not meet the high expectations I have for this author. 

The Immortal is a good continuation of this story. 

Book Review: Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden, Second Edition: A Natural Approach to Pest Control by Jessica Walliser

Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden, Second Edition: A Natural Approach to Pest Control by Jessica Walliser is updated with new research, insights, and voices in order to teach readers how to create a healthy, balanced, and diverse garden capable of supporting a hard-working crew of beneficial pest-eating insects and eliminate the need for synthetic chemical pesticides. After an introduction to the predator and prey cycle and its importance to both wild ecosystems and home gardens, you'll meet dozens of pest-munching beneficial insects (the predators) that feast on garden pests (their prey). From ladybugs and lacewings to parasitic wasps and syrphid flies, these good guys of the bug world keep the natural system of checks and balances in prime working order. They help limit pest damage and also serve a valuable role in the garden's food web. With a hearty population of beneficial insects present in your garden, you'll say goodbye to common garden pests like aphids, cabbage worms, bean beetles, leafhoppers, and hornworms, without reaching for a spray can. To encourage these good guys to stick around and do their important work, you'll learn how to create a welcoming habitat and fill your garden with the best plants to support them.

Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden is a valuable resource for gardeners that would prefer to avoid using chemicals on their lawn, garden, or landscape in general. I like that the author includes personal experience as well as the science and benefits of this approach.I like that interviews with entomologists and detailed information on the lives of  some of the specific insects and plants talked about are included. I found the tips on creating a space that encourages beneficial insects to call home to be valuable and interesting. Information on companion planting, and how various plants and insects interact was thoroughly explained and I definitely learned a great deal from this book. I found the content to be well organized, which makes it good for reading straight through of focusing on a specific topic of interest when you need it. I thought it could be a valuable resource for new and experienced gardeners. The information is accessible, but still provides a great depth of information. I also liked that there is a usable index and recommended resources included at the end of the book. This always makes me happy. Perhaps, with this newfound knowledge, I can manage to solve the issues I have with a particular corner of my yard. 

Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden would be a valuable addition to a gardener's personal library as well as in public libraries.